Cutting edge sports science at uni

It offers the sort of explosive power that elite athletes will do almost anything for and this hi-tech performance aid is not only legal, but is available on the Sunshine Coast.

“This is the sort of thing that can help athletes looking for that 1% increase in performance to give them the edge,” said former Paralympic champion swimmer, Assoc Prof Brendan Burkett, who runs one of the region’s best sports labs at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

And just as importantly the innovative Muscle Lab software package now installed at USC’s Centre for Healthy Activities, Sport and Exercise should enable injured athletes to optimise their recoveries.

“This is one of the priority projects that the International Paralympic Committee is looking at for Beijing and for future Games,” Burkett said.

Muscle Lab, an innovation of the Swedish Development Centre for Disability Sport, enables sports scientists to scan every muscle action – the flex and release 10 times in a second

“Muscle Lab will help us in understanding how people move, and in getting them to move better,” Burkett said.

“This will help us identify which parts of strength training is most important for individuals and, most importantly, how to incorporate power into the movement.”

“It will be valuable for sports performance or exercise rehabilitation.”

According to system expert Kennet Frojd, Muscle Lab, would allow to the USC to tailor exercise programs to individual needs.

Muscle Lab will be a feature of the USC’s new sports stadium and the health and sport clinic which will open in July next year.